CLEVELAND — Confidence. Discipline. Teamwork. That’s what more than 500 teen wrestlers from across the country came to Cleveland to build upon this week for the ACICS Beat the Streets National Enrichment Camp and Duals, which is being held for the first time in Cleveland.
I got to see them in action and learned they’re fighting for more than medals.
I asked Jamil Sanders, a board member with Beat the Streets Cleveland, about the name.
“It means beat adversity, right? Whatever that adversity may be,” Sanders said. “It may not be the streets. It may just be, 'Hey, I'm trying to beat maybe my own self-doubt,' or 'Hey, I don't believe I can achieve these things.'”
From the mat to the track, student-athletes have been pushed and transformed at the camp.
“It’s very eye opening. You know everybody trains differently. Its way different from what you know,” said Christopher Lozada, one of the participants from Detroit.
I caught up with him and other teens Thursday in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood. They were cleaning up litter—committing to an afternoon of service. Another group was helping at a nearby urban farm.
“It feels like you’re giving back to the community — a community that’s welcoming you in,” Lozada said.
The cleanup caught neighbor Clyde Williams' attention.
“I really appreciate it, because we been cleaning this place up down here for years because we’ve been abandoned,” Williams said.
Beat The Streets is a national nonprofit that uses wrestling as a gateway to teaching kids skills to build their own paths to success both on and off the mat.
Lozada said it brought him confidence.
“I used to be a really shy kid, you know. Wrestling just made me open. Made me really have more of a drive in anything I do.”
Elianna Steele calls Cleveland home. She’s a third-generation wrestler, following in the footsteps of her grandfather and dad.
“What have you learned about yourself being in this program?” I asked her.
“I learned to take my time and just like live through the moment and not the result,” Steele said.
And she’s proud to be showing off her city to people from cities like Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Chicago.
“With it being in Cleveland we can just have a spotlight on what’s new here,” Steele said. “I just love talking to people and just learning different experiences.”
The teens have had plenty of experiences, too, including sitting at Progressive Field and learning from staff across Cleveland’s professional sports teams and others about careers in sports business, health, and wellness.
And yes, there’s been lots of training and wrestling matches leading up to Friday night’s championship finals at Case Western Reserve University.
Sanders said he's proud of all the students. He was once a high school wrestler himself and likes seeing students push themselves and then reflect.
“Take the opportunity, immerse yourself in it, and really find out like, hey, what's that aha moment?” Sanders said.
Steele’s up for the challenge. She’s focused on upcoming matches and the life she’s building.
She said there’s a common denominator in both.
“You have to be very committed," Steele said.
Beat the Streets Cleveland has been operating for a decade, offering free services to youth.
It’s in the middle of a capital project to upgrade its headquarters on Broadway Street. I told them I’ll be following up and look forward to attending their ribbon cutting.
Damon Maloney is a Cuyahoga County and We Follow Through anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @DMaloneyTV, on Facebook DamonMaloneyTV or email him at Damon.Maloney@wews.com.
